"Wreaths Across America" Convoy Stops in Manville on Way to Arlington National Cemetery

By ROD HIRSCH

December 12, 2017 at 1:58 PM

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Wreaths are placed on the graves of US veterans at Arlington National Cemetery each December by the non-profit group Wreaths Across America.
Wreaths are placed on the graves of US veterans at Arlington National Cemetery each December by ...Credits: courtesy Wreaths Across America

A convoy of 18 trucks travels from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery each December with wreaths to be placed on the graves of US veterans by the non-profit group Wreaths Across America.
A convoy of 18 trucks travels from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery each December with ...Credits: courtesy Wreaths Across America

Volunteers place wreaths on the grave of US veterans at Arlington National Cemetery.
Volunteers place wreaths on the grave of US veterans at Arlington National Cemetery. Credits: courtesy Wreaths Across America

Morrill Worcester, founder of Wreaths Across America with his wife Karen, executive director of the non-profit organization.
Morrill Worcester, founder of Wreaths Across America with his wife Karen, executive director of ...Credits: courtesy Wreaths Across America

By ROD HIRSCH

December 12, 2017 at 1:58 PM

MANVILLE, NJ - What has become known as the world's largest veterans' parade will pause for a ceremony at Manville High School on Wednesday, Dec. 13 as the Wreaths Across America 18-truck convoy heads to Arlington National Cemetery for the annual wreath-laying on the graves of US veterans.

The convoy is expected to arrive around 9 a.m., driving down Finderne Avenue across the Van Veghten Bridge to link up with a local escort of veterans, Gold Star parents and officials before arriving at the high school for the program at 9:30 a.m.

Residents are asked to line the sidewalks along the convoy's route into Manville waving American flags. Flags are available at Borough Hall.

Morrill Worcester of Harrington, Maine, began the wreath-laying tradition at Arlington National Cemetery in 1992.

The following is Worcester's story as it appears on the "Wreaths Across America" website:

Worcester, owner of Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine, was a 12-year-old-paper boy for the Bangor Daily News when he won a trip to Washington D.C. His first trip to our nation’s capital was one he would never forget, and Arlington National Cemetery made an especially indelible impression on him.

This experience followed him throughout his life and successful career, reminding him that his good fortune was due, in large part, to the values of this nation and the veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

In 1992, Worcester Wreath found themselves with a surplus of wreaths nearing the end of the holiday season. Remembering his boyhood experience at Arlington, Worcester realized he had an opportunity to honor our country’s veterans. With the aid of Maine's U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, arrangements were made for the wreaths to be placed at Arlington in one of the older sections of the cemetery that had been receiving fewer visitors with each passing year.

As plans were underway, a number of other individuals and organizations stepped up to help. James Prout, owner of local trucking company Blue Bird Ranch, Inc., generously provided transportation all the way to Virginia. Volunteers from the local American Legion and VFW Posts gathered with members of the community to decorate each wreath with traditional red, hand-tied bows. Members of the Maine State Society of Washington, D.C. helped to organize the wreath-laying, which included a special ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The annual tribute went on quietly for several years, until 2005, when a photo of the stones at Arlington, adorned with wreaths and covered in snow, circulated around the internet. Suddenly, the project received national attention. Thousands of requests poured in from all over the country from people wanting to help with Arlington, to emulate the Arlington project at their National and State cemeteries, or to simply share their stories and thank Worcester for honoring our nation’s heroes.

This iconic image became viral in 2005, inspiring increased national interest in the annual tribute and prompting the formation of Wreaths Across America as a non-profit 501-(c)(3)

Unable to donate thousands of wreaths to each state, Worcester began sending seven wreaths to every state, one for each branch of the military, and for POW/MIAs. In 2006, with the help of the Civil Air Patrol and other civic organizations, simultaneous wreath-laying ceremonies were held at over 150 locations around the country. The Patriot Guard Riders volunteered as escort for the wreaths going to Arlington. This began the annual “Veterans Honor Parade” that travels the east coast in early December.

The annual trip to Arlington and the groups of volunteers eager to participate in Worcester’s simple wreath-laying event grew each year until it became clear the desire to remember and honor our country’s fallen heroes was bigger than Arlington, and bigger than this one company.

In 2007, the Worcester family, along with veterans, and other groups and individuals who had helped with their annual veterans wreath ceremony in Arlington, formed Wreaths Across America, a non-profit 501-(c)(3) organization, to continue and expand this effort, and support other groups around the country who wanted to do the same. The mission of the group is simple:

Remember. Honor. Teach.

In 2008, over 300 locations held wreath-laying ceremonies in every state, Puerto Rico and 24 overseas cemeteries. Over 100,000 wreaths were placed on veterans’ graves. Over 60,000 volunteers participated. And that year, December 13, 2008 was unanimously voted by the US Congress as “Wreaths Across America Day”.

In 2014, Wreaths Across America and its national network of volunteers laid over 700,000 memorial wreaths at 1,000 locations in the United States and beyond, including ceremonies at the Pearl Harbor Memorial, as well as Bunker Hill, Valley Forge and the sites of the September 11 tragedies. This was accomplished with help from 2,047 fundraising groups, corporate contributions, and donations of trucking, shipping, and thousands of helping hands. The organization's goal of covering Arlington National Cemetery was met in 2014 with the placement of 226,525 wreaths.

The wreath-laying is still held annually, on the second or third Saturday of December. WAA's annual pilgrimage from Harrington, Maine to Arlington National Cemetery has become known as the world’s largest veterans’ parade, stopping at schools, monuments, veterans’ homes and communities all along the way to remind people how important it is to remember, honor and teach.

Wreaths Across America also conducts several programs to honor our veterans, including the popular “Thanks a Million” campaign which distributes cards to people all over the country to give veterans a simple “thank you” for their service. WAA participates in veterans’ events throughout the year, and has a veteran liaison on staff to work with local veterans organizations.

WAA is committed to teaching younger generations about the value of their freedoms, and the importance of honoring those who sacrificed so much to protect those freedoms. The organization offers learning tools, interactive media projects, and opportunities for youth groups to participate in the events. They also work to create opportunities to connect “the Greatest Generation” with the “Generation of Hope”, passing on inspirational stories from World War II veterans to the leaders of the future.

Further information is available online at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org

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